Will Americans be Able to Travel to France this Summer?
April 19, 2021
UPDATE: As of April 30th, France has announced that foreign visitors will be granted entry into the country start on June 9th.
Yes! Americans will likely be able to travel to France this summer, according to French President Emmanuel Macron. The President spent some time speaking with Margaret Brennan from Face the Nation on Sunday. When asked, ‘Will vaccinated Americans be able to visit France this summer?’, his simple and uplifting response was, “I hope so, and I do think so.”
Margaret Brennan speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron regarding Americans traveling to France this summer
The Vaccine Rollout – how this is crucial for Americans traveling to France
The President went on to outline the goals that both France and the European Union have set up to once again welcome international visitors. France is aiming to vaccinate 20 million citizens by mid-May, 30 million by mid-June, and all adults by the end of summer. Shots in arms are essential for Americans to feel safe visiting France, and for French businesses to once again reopen.
As more vaccines are given, France will progressively lift restrictions, starting in mid-May. Much of the country, including Paris, is currently in lockdown with a 7pm curfew. Schools and restaurants are closed, and only essential businesses are able to operate with any semblance of normalcy. According to the President, France will begin to open again in just under a month. This timeline aligns with typical summer travel spikes from Americans traveling to France.
The President is also working with EU member states to develop a European certificate that will facilitate intra-European travel. With this, vaccinated Americans who land in Paris may still be able to easily visit other countries within the EU, similar to pre-covid times.
Macron listed a number of vaccines that the French health and safety officials are considering to boost their vaccine doses – Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Astra-Zeneca, Valneva, Sanofi, Curevac. Macron hopes to produce 2.5 billion doses within France in 2021.
Brennan and Macron went on to speak about sending vaccines to Africa and Latin America, climate change and China and India’s part in it, regulation of large tech entities, Russian troops along the Ukraine border, and race relations. The French president stressed the need for a Franco-American alliance on all topics, hinting at the need for an even stronger bond between the two historical allies.
The TakeAway
When international borders open, vaccinated Americans will likely be able to travel to France, and to other places in Europe. Here at Fat Tire Tours, we pride ourselves on being safety-minded. When borders reopen, we will continue with our heightened cleaning procedures in our office. Our group sizes will remain small so to allow for socially distanced experiences, and our contact-less check-in make starting a tour easy. We want you to experience Paris in an unforgettable way, and we are committed to keeping you safe on tour.
